Precise time synchronization across optical modules for group alignment

An optical system supporting timing synchronization, alignment and deskewing across optical modules includes a plurality of optical devices each providing an Optical Tributary Signal (OTSi) which are part of an Optical Tributary Signal Group (OTSiG); and a management communication mechanism between the plurality of optical devices, wherein each of the plurality of optical devices are timing synchronized using the management communication mechanism and Precision Time Protocol (PTP) messaging. Each of the plurality of optical devices can include delay circuitry configured to deskew an associated OTSi with respect to other OTSi signals in the OTSiG.